


kiss me quick, but make it last

by allthewaydown



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Dark, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Manipulation, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Secret Relationship, Shameless Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:00:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 21,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26245324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allthewaydown/pseuds/allthewaydown
Summary: — thunder cracked and rain fell, but they still felt safe. after all, in each other's arms, the sun never set and the moon always rose. and when secrets are unfurled, there is nothing but gold and blue, reaching for each other.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 86
Kudos: 225





	1. this is how it starts

He was an enigma. Quiet and reserved, somehow keeping to himself most of the time, and yet, the center of attention when surrounded by people. He moved with precision and a hint of hesitation, similar to when the sun’s rays would peak through dark clouds after torrential rain. Some would mistake this as confidence, but Katara knew it was a shield, put there to protect his secrets.

She sat at a table a few feet away from him, watching his movements with unapologetic eyes. He was wearing a simple crewneck shirt that seemed to accentuate his biceps, and she could see the muscles move as he laughed, clapping his hands. She bit her lip, eyes trailing lazily down over his face, his sharp, angular jaw, to the pulse on his throat, the pale skin shining like marble. She assumed he was talking with a few of his classmates. She could hear his voice clearly over the chatter around her, rough and low, like it hadn’t been used in centuries.

Katara watched as he crossed his arms over his chest, and the muscles on his back tightened. She forced herself to look down at her book, to hide the flush of her face, conceal her wandering gaze. She closed her eyes tightly and shook her head, trying to clear her mind of any lewd thoughts that were slipping in through the cracks. Once she was sure the redness in her cheeks had dissipated, Katara looked through her lashes. Be it luck or fate's cruel idea of a _joke,_ she found herself caught in the headlights of his unblinking gaze. He bit his lip and winked at her discreetly before turning his attention back to his friends. Katara whipped her head back towards the books in front of her, a familiar warmth enveloping her, and her face once again turned a bright, burning crimson.

That was the second time he winked at her, the first being so long ago, in the warm embrace of a summer's day.

Katara had met him the summer before her third year of college at Ember Island. She had decided to accompany her brother, Sokka, and his girlfriend, Suki, on a vacation before the couple entered their last year of school. Katara tagged along, simply because she was tired of spending her summers in the biting cold of the South Pole.

It was a one-week vacation and Katara had no intention of meeting anyone of importance. It was her chance to disappear, become a nobody surrounded by the sea. She wanted to detach herself from the responsibilities that waited for her in Ba Sing Se – summer classes to improve her GPA and advisors that seemed to always have a stick up their ass. At Ember Island, she would be invisible.

On her second night at the beach, the three had decided to visit the local club, well known for its ear-splitting music that blared from the speakers as soon as night fell. Her heartbeat thrummed with the bass of the song and the smell of cigarettes and alcohol made her head spin, drowning her in a sea of pulsing lights and ecstasy.

Katara was responsible. She drank with caution, held her friends’ hair up when they had a little too much, and watched for danger with suspicious eyes. However, that night she found herself with four shots of tequila pumping through her body and finishing the night grinding salaciously against a mysterious man with a scar across his face.

Ordinarily, Katara would have stood in the corner of the bar, watching as her friends enjoyed themselves with the alcohol flowing through their system. But that moment, lost to the pounding lights and sweatdrops against her skin, was her chance to be anyone but herself. With inhibitions long forgotten, Katara found herself bidding Suki and Sokka goodbye, the couple too inebriated themselves to notice anything, and dragged the mystery man out of the club by his wrist. 

With common sense and alcohol mixing equally through her blood, Katara let him lead her down winding roads, pressing kisses in the shadow of streetlights to her neck, stealing away to the mystery boy's beach house. She let herself relax in his burning touch as his hands roamed freely over her body. She let herself kiss a complete stranger, giving into her desires. Clothes were quickly strewn haphazardly across the floor and heat overwhelmed her body despite it.

Katara caught a glimpse of his bright golden eyes, dark with desire, every time they pulled apart to catch their breath. His eyes burned holes all over her body as he scanned her, and she had never felt so much passion and shameless lust as much as she had with him. His lips found her neck and a moan escaped her mouth as she felt him nibble down on the tender skin. The mark would be a problem for tomorrow.

Her moan seemed to fuel something inside him; he snarled deep in his chest, and in a swift movement too fast for her hazy mind to comprehend, she was pressed against the wall with her legs around his waist and his lips once again pressed against hers.

With the cold wall stabilizing her, she stared at him with greed. Her hands roamed all over his chest, tracing the grooves of his muscles, and trailing down his arms before falling beneath the waistband of his underwear. He groaned and thrust against her palm and as she grew impatient, and she smirked, pulling the material off his hips.

He kept her pressed against the wall with his chest, and she watched him through hazy eyes as he trailed his hands down to her core, his fingers working into her underwear and through the wetness of her folds. The moan that escaped her mouth was loud and wanton. He smirked and pressed feather light kisses around her exposed breasts, pushing his fingers into her slowly.

 _Like that?_ He whispered, the deep baritone of his voice reverberating up and through her bones, and Katara moaned again, arching into him. His hands made no indication of stopping until Katara was sure she could see stars behind her eyes.

He kissed her, mouth demanding, and she could taste the alcohol and spice on his tongue. Crying out, she stiffened, back arching into his grip as he pressed his fingers into her, pumping and stroking with confident twists of his wrist. His thumb expertly met with the bundle of nerves as his fingers worked in her. Katara jerked, throwing her head back, felt the brush of his teeth across her throat, before collapsing back against the wall. He pushed his chest against hers once more, biting her ear as she gasped for air.

Before Katara had a chance to catch her breath, he pushed himself inside her and she moaned loudly at the feel of his length filling her. He gripped her wrists above her head as he set an unforgivable pace.

Katara’s moans echoed in her ears and her hands balled into fists as he thrust his hips roughly against hers. She tried to match his pace, pushing her hips down to meet his desperately, squeezing her muscles around his length as best as she could. His mouth was next to her ear and he let out a throaty groan.

_You’re so hot and tight around me, I can’t get enough of you._

Time seemed to disappear as she savored the feel of him. Each thrust elicited a whine she didn’t know she could make. The pressure began to build low in her stomach and her legs began to tremble.

_Ah, fuck yes, come for me, baby._

Katara was overwhelmed with pleasure and her jaw opened in a silent scream as his fingers made their way to her clit. His rubbing combined with his thrusting made her head spin and her orgasm washed over her like the waves crashing in the sea.

He caught her lips in his as he came after her, his body pressing her flush against the wall.

Katara had every intention of this interaction only being a one-night stand. They woke the next morning, exchanged pleasantries, and she was out of his beach house in a swift beat. His name was still a mystery, but Katara had convinced herself that it was better not to know so she wouldn’t be tempted to look him up.

So, when she saw him sitting in a desk in the corner of the room of her senior level statistics summer class on the first day, her stomach practically fell out of her mouth. There was no mistaking the angry red scar across his face. The way he sat coolly in the chair reminded her of the night in Ember Island, making her fingers tingle and her mind slip to a time when she was pressed against those strong legs, the focus of those burning eyes.

It made her feel better to know that he had practically fallen out of his chair when their eyes met. At least she wasn't the only one shocked by this horrifyingly wonderful predicament.

She felt his eyes bore into the back of her head as the class carried on, and when it ended, she raced for the door to escape any sort of confrontation. But he was faster, catching her before she could disappear.

The boy who stood before her was shockingly similar to the boy from that drunken night so long ago, and yet somehow so different. He was still confident, oozing sarcasm and wit, but he rubbed at the back of his head, golden eyes darting around in hesitation, and quietly stammered out a _would you like to get dinner with me?_

Hesitantly, she agreed to get dinner with him and learned that this man – Zuko, she discovered – was graduating at the end of the year and that even sober, Katara still felt the same warmth low in her belly as he talked. If she lingered on it, maybe she'd still feel the way his fingers gripped her wrists, eliciting cries of pleasure and lust, golden eyes seared into the memory of warm summer nights.

She was taken with him; his low gravelly voice, the way his hands fiddled with the glass of water, the scar that adorned the left side of his face. Before she knew it, it was 3 hours later, and the owners of the restaurant were ushering them out of the store. In her vulnerability – and honestly, her budding desire – Katara invited him over to her place, and she found herself replaying their night at Ember Island.

Looking back, Katara knew she had better sense than to have dinner, let alone sleep, with a man that she met once on a beach. She wasn’t naïve, she knew the risks of accepting the invite of a stranger. She grew up with her Gran Gran reminding her of her strength, but also of the realities of this world. The realities that had taken her innocence long before innocence should have been taken. She had a brother who grew up wanting to be the protector of the world, shielding Katara from any mishap or crime that happened around the corner of her house.

However, it was Katara who had ultimately taught herself what was necessary to survive.

She grew up too quickly, too abruptly. She was only seven, and Sokka only eight, when their mother was killed in a home invasion. They would’ve been killed too, if it wasn’t for the cops showing up as the murderers rounded the corner to their room. Fast enough to save the lives of two children, but not fast enough to apprehend a criminal, a murderer.

In desperation and obvious anger, their father fled after a few years of unbearable depression, popping up only when either Sokka or Katara had a birthday. And even then, it was usually a measly card with his name scribbled at the bottom. It was Gran Gran who shouldered the responsibility, who raised an abandoned brother and sister, raised them until it was time for college.

It was a weird childhood for Katara, having to take care of her brother who could be an idiot, but seemed to constantly hover over her with every step she took. He even took the liberty of deciding that becoming an FBI agent would resolve every underlying issue and trauma that they carried into adulthood. In the midst of it all, he also decided that being a part of every aspect of Katara’s life would be the best idea. This resulted in them attending the same college, almost the same classes – even though he was a Computer Science major and she was in Biology – and background checks on everyone she encountered.

Including who she dated, and in this case, who she fucked.

So, in everyone’s best interest, she kept Zuko to herself.

It had been three months since their first dinner, and three months since she and Zuko decided that whatever was happening between them would stay between them. Considering she had an overprotective brother and he had a relentless sister, hellbent on ruining his life, it was better in the long run for things to remain secret.

And Katara liked it. She liked the mystery of having Zuko to herself, knowing him in the quiet darkness right before dawn, knowing the whispered pleas and the harsh breaths no one else knew. She liked the way his eyes smoldered in pleasure, how his lips quirked in her direction in a crowded room, how his fingers brushed hers in a quiet display of affection even when surrounded by people.

In those months, she discovered different things about him that he said he’d never told anyone else. She found out that his father was in jail for crimes too unholy to say out loud, but also for afflicting him with the heavy scar on his face. _Iron to the face,_ he'd told her, and she had cried. She found out that he lived alone, but his uncle was just outside of the city and he spent most of his time with him. Uncle Iroh by blood, but Zuko confessed to her that he was more of a father to him, love over blood. The real kicker was discovering that his mother had mysteriously disappeared when he was ten, without a trace. But in the quiet moments where darkness shrouded them like a blanket, he whispered to her, _my mother was killed in a plane crash after visiting her parents. But my father is a liar, and my sister thinks he can do no wrong._ Zuko was convinced it was all a front to hide something much more sinister, and after months of being with him and learning his family's secrets, Katara believed it too.

The invitation into his life drew Katara closer to him, closer to anyone she had known. It solidified her intent to keep him away from the craziness that her brother brought. Her beliefs were reflected in Zuko, who confessed he wanted to spare her from his uncle’s crazy delusions of grandkids, but also from his sister’s scheming mind.

To what her schemes were, Katara was at a loss. If she was anything like Sokka, she was thankful to be kept away.

Another reason Katara felt so content with this scarred boy was how supportive and vulnerable he was. His openness made her comfortable enough to share her own demons for the first time in her life as well.

In the three months that they had spent together, Katara had learned that there was nowhere else she’d want to spend her time. She would go to class, in a daze and dreaming, until she could stalk over to his apartment and wrap her arms and legs around him. Since Suki and Sokka lived together, sometimes he would go over to her apartment and they would lie on the couch just holding each other. They cooked together and studied together and laughed together. Life with Zuko was simple, domestic, and easy.

There wasn’t a definition or a title to what she would consider their relationship. Friends with benefits was too broad, because there was more to it than that. Katara felt it in her bones and she knew Zuko did too. But the baggage that they both carried was far too heavy for the both of them to support. Sometimes Katara would wake up in a sweat, her mother’s screams echoing loudly in her ears. Sometimes Zuko would cry out his father’s name in his sleep, a constant nightmare that never left him. They became each other’s escape, and somewhere along the lines they became each other’s.

Katara looked back up from her books and stared at him through her eyelashes. He caught her eye again and smiled the gentle smile that always left her with butterflies in her stomach. She tugged on the braid that was hanging over her shoulder and grumbled to herself.

Her day had ended early, but she was still wiped out from the assignments that she was given. Her organic chemistry class had piled on three pages of reactions that she had to decipher, and her genetics class had given her Punnett squares too complicated to even comprehend. Her frustration with her classes and the growing heat in between her legs made her head spin and she knew that any attempt of studying was futile.

Katara shoved her books in her backpack with a grunt and pushed her chair out with a large squeal. She knew it was loud enough to grab Zuko’s attention, but she turned on her heel and slung her bag onto her shoulder. She couldn’t look at him anymore unless she wanted to make a fool of herself in front of the entire student body.

Katara pulled her phone out and typed a quick text to Sokka not to expect her for dinner. It had been the third time she bailed, but in her clouded head, it didn’t matter to her. She would brace herself with Sokka’s fury later. Zuko’s classes didn’t end until an hour later, but it didn’t stop her from furiously typing out a text to send to him.

_Please._

She groaned, running a hand over her face. Katara was embarrassed that she couldn’t control herself in a public setting. She knew her face was flushed, and she thanked the gods that she had been born a woman.

Her legs carried her through the school sidewalks and towards the all too familiar apartment building that was right outside the campus. Her fingers clenched into fists as she tried to steady her breathing. She would be arriving at an empty apartment, but she could use the time to make herself be less of a feral animal.

Katara walked through the gravel path that led to Zuko’s apartment, her legs heavy with each stair step that she climbed. Her blood was rushing in her ears and her breath came out in ragged breaths. She didn’t realize how fast she was walking until she stopped in front of his apartment door and leaned her forehead against the cool painted wood.

Chest heaving, Katara laughed at the incredulousness of it all. She prided herself in her independence, her continuous need to fend for herself. But when it came to Zuko, she felt those shackles release themselves and she was able to be as free as she could let herself. No responsibilities, no anger. Just Zuko.

Katara turned around and leaned her head back against the door with her eyes closed.

“You couldn’t wait until tonight, could you?”

Katara’s eyes shot open and her breath caught in her throat at the sight of Zuko standing in front of her, his breath just as staggered. She bit her lip and shook her head.

“I thought you had class until six?” Her voice came out quiet and hoarse, more of a croak that conveyed too much need and not enough of _him_. Zuko smirked and took a few steps towards her. Katara gripped the hem of her shorts, the chill breeze of early fall in Ba Sing Se making goosebumps appear along the length of her thighs. The wind swept Zuko's hair to the side, and Katara saw his usually golden eyes darken with rounded pupils as he drew closer.

“It’s just a test review, I don’t need it.” He stepped closer to her, his chest millimeters from her as he reached around to unlock his door. Katara scoffed at his arrogance and he looked down at her, the smirk heavy on his lips.

“Besides, your text sounded urgent,” he murmured, voice low and heavy with need. He blew a stray piece of hair away from Katara’s forehead, and on his breath Katara smelled cinnamon and ginger.

“What did you need?” Zuko whispered in her ear. He leaned down and opened the door behind her.

Katara had self-control. She had the power to stop herself from making bad decisions. But this was Zuko, and any reservation she had was long gone that night in Ember Island.

Katara grabbed the collar of his shirt and stumbled into the apartment, her lips meeting his with a muffled moan. He stumbled in after her, kicking the door shut and wrapping one arm around her waist, the other running through her hair and pushing her head closer to his.

“I need you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO and welcome friends to this angsty, smutty, dark adventure of mine. i really hope you enjoy your stay.
> 
> first i would like to thank my DEAREST FRIEND MarkedMage for helping me edit and essentially beta-ing for me out of the sheer kindness of her heart. this fic is for her and she deserves it. thank you friend for your sweet encouragement and i hope this lives up to your expectations.
> 
> this is my first time writing a full length, multi-chap fic and i am determined to make myself responsible and keep updating until its finished. most everything is planned and plotted, its just putting it to words that i have trouble with BUT we will make it through so help me god or i will be struck by lightning.
> 
> i plan for this fic to be mysterious and modern and everything will start making sense, i just didnt want spoilers in the tags BUT if you have questions/guesses this early on i'd love to hear them.
> 
> i would love to hear your thoughts, so please share! there is a lot of world building and character development so please fasten your seatbelts and keep your hands and feet in the ride at all times.


	2. calm before the storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI HELLO please heed these trigger warnings before you continue on, it's crucial to the plot, but i know it's very a very sensitive topic:  
>  **depictions of child abuse  
> **  
>  **mentions of death ******
> 
> this chapter introduces a lot of elements that are essential and gives us a beginning and inside look to zuko's life. BASICALLY HE'S DAMAGED
> 
> please enjoy!

In the darkest corner of the cell that he resided in, Ozai stared through the metal bars that kept him separated from the outside world. He sat on a stiff cushion atop of a creaky metal frame that squeaked each time he adjusted his position. He was accustomed to the noise that accompanied the shadowy world in which he now dwelled, but still could never quite get used to the sound of his neighbors clanging their provided cups against the bars. Disgust washed over him every day.

His gaze trailed outside of the bars, watching as the guards paced back and forth down the narrow hallway. No matter how discreetly they tried to peer into the darkness of his cell, Ozai was a shrewd man, always meeting their timid gaze with his own defiant glare. A small smirk flitted onto his thin mouth, the sight of their discomfort like music to his ears. 

In the decade that Ozai was imprisoned for, his grip on the power of fear never once faltered. His reputation preceded him. Word of the great and scheming Ozai, and what he'd done, had spread like wildfire through the world. By the time he'd arrived at the prison, the innate fear of knowing who he was and what he was capable of had already saturated deep into the bones of the jailblock itself. 

In the years before Ozai’s incarceration, he was the CEO and owner of the Fire Nation’s biggest power supplier, AZU Energy. Inherited from his father, and his father before him, Ozai held the position of keeping the nation alight. His role in the company, however, did not come without a fight. In his father’s eyes, Ozai was too stubborn and aggressive to head a company, lacking the skills that an authoritative leader would possess. To his contempt, his older brother Iroh was much favored to inherit the company and take over the family business.

It didn’t take much for Ozai to conjure up a plan to overrule his father and convince him that Iroh was unfit to own a company. He learned very quickly that money would have every insolent worker under his control, foiling every plan that Iroh put in place. Every missed deadline, calculation mistakes on important blueprints, and derailing field workers, sending them to obscure locations that ultimately put their lives in danger. Ozai was relentless and their company was so large that a few workers pocketing extra cash would not be noticed. 

When their father reached the threshold of his patience and decided that Iroh was not capable enough, Lu Ten, Iroh’s only beloved son died in a brutal car accident. It left Iroh without any descendants and Ozai with the upperhand. 

Ozai was as smart as he was cruel, and he used it to his advantage. He knew from the beginning that he was the only person who deserved the highest position in AZU Energy. From the start, he decided that nothing would stop him from reaching the top. Every step he took was made with malice and calculated precision. He kept his guard up to protect his secrets, and he did everything it took to reach his goal. No matter how heinous the action would be.

He no longer had to worry about Iroh being an obstacle, for he surrendered his right to the company a few months after Lu Ten had passed. It made Ozai’s plan to be owner much easier to fulfill, and the lackies that he paid off were more than happy to be receiving extra money for their families. It was only his father who stood in opposition to him.

Constantly the two men would bicker and argue, never agreeing to compromise about details that would either help or hinder the company from flourishing. Ozai wanted to expand where his father wanted to retreat. Ozai favored the clients that were able to pay over the clients who scraped by and made payments just before deadlines were due. Ozai wanted to monopolize AZU Energy and spread it around the world.

Azulon was a patient man and he knew the business inside and out. There were other companies in the world that had provided energy to their people and it would do no good to buy them out. It was a smart idea to stay where they were the strongest, where their people would be the priority. But Ozai had other ideas. 

It took months of deliberation and multiple meetings with his henchmen to discuss how to remove his father from the chair and give the title to him. The conversations would last nights on end, the discussion always pertaining to his eventual control and the expansion of AZU Energy to the rest of the world. Fair business was no longer in Ozai’s mind once he discovered just how magnificent he could be if he was in control of the entire world and its power supply.

For his plan to play out, Ozai sent liaisons to work within the opposing companies unbeknownst to his father. He gathered information on how power supply was acquired and provided while also slandering Azulon’s name to their partners. It was a battle between morality and money and money always won. With money came power and with power came greed and Ozai was not the one to readily give that up.

Ozai is a selfish man. He is greedy and manipulative and persistent. He will stop at nothing until his goal is reached, no matter the consequences. No matter who suffered, he would trample over them like a stampede. Even if that meant his family would fall apart.

Ozai’s father died a year after Lu Ten’s death, and the company became his.

If foul play was ever suspected in the death of major CEO Azulon, his son Iroh kept his mouth shut and Ozai denied it to the depths of his soul. After all, who would think to ask Ursa, Ozai’s measly wife, who did nothing but care for their children? The world needn’t know that Ursa was a skilled woman; a gifted chemist knowledgeable in the craft of many different chemicals that would hinder the wellbeing of any man. Chemicals that were so potent yet discreet enough to disguise death as fragility in old age. So Azulon’s death was ruled to be the result of natural causes, and any secrets that the three adults had were locked away to be forgotten. Secrecy was the number one rule in the family and it fueled Ozai’s greed for power. 

Secrets became even more prevalent as Ozai gained his position in the company. To the public’s eye, he was a devout father and a doting husband, but a fierce opponent when it came to the business. The plan to integrate the entire world’s power supplies to be under his control spread quickly throughout the company, quickly through the nation, and an uproar of nationalists were quick to tear the man down. The opposition was dirt off Ozai’s shoulder and he pressed on with his plan to outsmart the other companies and have them begging to be managed by him.

But in the confines of their home, behind the large wooden doors and the windows that spanned the entirety of the house, there was silence and fear. A lingering shadow of power that intensified when Pzai stepped into his house. His children would greet him then run to their rooms and Ursa never stayed in his presence for longer than ten minutes. And as Ozai found ways to weasel himself into the intricacies of the other companies, the more he realized how much his family was a hindrance to him, save for his daughter. 

Ursa was a strong, tightlipped woman who only seemed to say things in opposition. His son Zuko had been sickly since his birth, proving to be the weakest of the four. There was no determination or fervor in the gold eyes that reflected Ozai’s and it seemed that Azula was the only one who would be able to carry the family’s reputation on proud shoulders. 

It started with slamming doors and raised voices, usually Ozai and Ursa disagreeing with whatever idea he had for expansion. Ursa would be against the totalitarian ideals and Ozai was enraged that his wife, the one person who should always take his side, did not agree with him. 

The first time he hit Zuko, he was eleven years old and Ozai was three years into his CEO position. It began with Ozai's acquisition of Yang-Chen Energy, a natural, wind power tech company, vastly different from the artificial power AZU Energy provided. A question, nothing more, from his son, wondering if such an acquisition was a good idea for such opposing companies. They'd been in a conference room, Zuko, Ozai, and all Ozai's lackies, when Zuko had asked the seemingly innocent question, and just like that, Ozai's hand was flying through the air, faster than his brain could process, and Zuko bore the imprint of his father palm burnt red on his cheek. The room was wide eyed and his son gasped, clutching at his cheek. There was a feeling of satisfaction that even his job couldn’t provide him.

It was easy to hurt Zuko. His son who was just like his mother, quiet and intense; passionate and kind. When Ursa was not around, it was easy for Ozai to push his meek son into walls, grab him by his hair, and grip his wrists so tightly that they left bruises. And Zuko, in all of his weakness, knew to keep his mouth shut. His loyal followers followed suit, knowing that any word of Ozai inflicting pain on his son would ruin the image he had so carefully built up for himself. He had convinced Zuko that the pain he received would teach him respect and Zuko lapped it up as if he was deprived of water his entire life. 

Azula was saved from the abuse, having been the only one to agree with the schemes that Ozai plotted. Azula was his pride and joy, a genius in every aspect. She had been eight years old when she first began to calculate the complicated equations that Ozai had brought home to study. She was blunt and resolute, and at a young age, Ozai knew she would be the one to carry on his reputation. 

The more stress he endured at work, the more shameless he became in his abuse. Ursa began interfering once Ozai’s hands got lighter and objects became within reach. He threw a fork towards Zuko at the dinner table, narrowly missing his face, and after a particularly snide remark, Ursa all but flew out of her seat to scream at him. She began to linger around them more, but not enough to shield their son from his attacks. Ozai’s temper and rage only fueled the monster that was bold enough to lay a hand on his child.

It was after the particularly difficult purchase of Kuei Electric did Ozai notice that something was changing. He became aware of the decreasing amount of clothing that hung in their closet, and Ursa was spending more time with Zuko away from their home. The usual feeling of uneasiness that clouded the house was thicker than it had ever been before. When he confronted her, her words were as sharp as a knife’s blade. 

_The kids and I are leaving, and you will never lay a finger on them again._

The thought of his wife leaving seemed to be the perfect solution to his dilemma, but it was the matter of his kids leaving that did not bode well with him. He didn’t want Azula’s potential to be wasted, and even though Zuko was useless, it was a good image to have his son around to fill the illusion of a rightful inheritor. 

So, like the manipulator that he was, Ozai blackmailed Ursa into leaving without the children, or he would put the blame of Azulon’s death onto her. She could never contact them unless she knew what was good for her family. He knew his way around the media and it would be easy to taint the image of his wife as a murderer so she could eventually gain control of AZU Energy. It was simple, it was effective, and Ursa was out of the house with a simple _I’m going to see grandma and grandpa._

With a quick tongue, he told the kids that Ursa’s plane had met a terrible fate and her body was no longer recoverable. Zuko’s fear of Ozai left him without questions and Azula was too blind with adoration to doubt him. They didn’t hear from Ursa again. 

The years that followed were the best for Ozai: he had gained ownership of Yang-Chen and Kuei and he was weeks away from purchasing both Raava Power in the North and of Vatu Lights in the South. 

He had allowed both Zuko and Azula to join him in the meetings, a year after Ursa had left. Azula, at twelve years old, was already proving to rise further than his expectations. She was determined and knew the ways around management that would help Ozai break through tough barriers and access the intricacies of all the companies. 

Zuko on the other hand, at thirteen, was more of a disappointment than Ozai had anticipated. He was quiet and rarely ever shared ideas. Questions only arose when Ozai was doing something particularly immoral, like cutting off power to certain villages in the Earth country until they agreed to pay higher prices. The meetings always ended with a kiss on the cheek from Azula but choice words and a few hits to Zuko. 

The downfall of his empire happened on a rainy summer day after Vatu Lights rescinded their buy offer and claimed that Ozai’s intentions were unclear and distorted. It was the last company on his list and rejection was not something Ozai was particularly fond of. Iroh was also visiting from wherever he was hiding and his two kids were being particularly difficult. Azula and Zuko had joined him in the meeting after Vatu had declined the offer and were going head to head with each about whether or not it was better to leave the Southern company alone. 

It was the first time Ozai had seen Zuko so passionate about anything that had to do with the company and it frustrated him that it was over petty reasons like the inability for some major businesses to pay their bills on time. Zuko spat facts about the desolation of the country and the lack of proper leadership that caused the poverty levels to reach an all time high. Zuko was compassionate and empathetic and it made Ozai’s blood boil. He thought that Zuko would toughen up without Ursa, but he did in the opposite way that Ozai had wanted.

After, all of the tension from the meeting was thick and heavy in the family home and Ozai knew that any disruption from the quiet would make his head explode. Iroh drank his cup of tea in the kitchen, Azula was practicing her skills in making spreadsheets, and Zuko was ironing his button downs when he tripped over the cord. He knocked down the board he was working on and accidentally shattered the frame that held Ozai’s degree. 

Screaming apologies fell upon deaf ears and Ozai was blind with rage. His first born son, useless and weak, unable to stand up for himself or be the man Ozai wanted him to be. Before he could blink, the hot iron was in his hands and made contact with Zuko’s face. He heard Iroh screaming, Azula crying and Zuko fell to the floor unconscious. 

Next thing Ozai knew, he was being cuffed and forced into the back of a police car.

The trials were ruthless and revealed to the world how Ozai had managed to gain ownership of all the electric companies in each country. With fear no longer holding his employees hostage, their mouths ran free and all of the secrets came flying out. Extortion resulted in 3 years, fraud gave him 3 as well, and abuse gave him 5. Everyone but Ursa was present for the trials and Ozai’s list of vendetta’s grew. 

He would never forget their betrayal.

No one visited him in his ten years of incarceration except for one of his few supporters, Zhao. He informed Ozai of the new ownership after Iroh had declined and how all ties with every company had been severed. Since Zuko was still too young to inherit any part of the company, interim management fell onto a distant relative that was already employed. No longer was AZU Energy the titular electric company in his country, and no longer was Ozai the formidable CEO he once was. 

He was one year away from his release when he received a visit from his lawyer, regarding his request for early release. Izko, his name was, had been in discussion with the judge that had sentenced Ozai about his parole and the motion he had submitted a year earlier. It was a longshot, considering Ozai’s crimes had caused a major uproar in the country, but it could not be denied that it was a waste of resources to keep Ozai in prison when he was the image of a perfect inmate. 

So when Izko informed him that the judge had approved the request, and parole was set to be put into motion in four weeks time — _that’s the fastest it’s been for anyone, I think this judge has a bias_ — Ozai’s days in his deep dark cell seemed to brighten just a little bit.

* * *

Zuko’s day started off as it normally would, bidding Katara goodbye in the morning, trying to schedule the multiple meetings he had in regard to graduation, and spending the rest of his day answering multiple emails in response to his job search.

He had decided at eighteen that any future he had with AZU Energy would be dissolved and he would let Azula, who had thicker skin than he did, to inherit the family business. It was not a difficult decision to make, after all. He had spent years of his life tormented by his father so any ties he had to him was easy to sever. And now, almost five years later, he was starting to pave a new direction for his life. 

He sat at his dining table, typing away on his computer while the sun began its descent. There was a muggy feeling in the air that cast a grey shadow in his apartment. The only noises that were heard was the clack of his keyboard and the soft ticking of the clock that hung on his wall. There was a quiet peace in the air that Zuko sat comfortably in. He was in the process of replying to his advisor’s email about his final project in the class when someone began to pound furiously on his door.

“Zuko! Open up, I know you’re in there! Your car is outside!” The loud knocks on his door disturbed the quiet solace he had created for himself and almost knocked him off his seat. Cursing, he walked over to the door as the knocks clamored on continuously. He swung it open with a glare on his face, narrowly missing the shorter girl’s fist that was banging on the wood.

“Toph, what the hell do you want?” He huffed and the darker haired girl pushed him aside, her White cane scraping against the hardwood floor. Zuko grunted, watching his family friend barge her way into his home. “And why didn’t you tell me you were coming over?” He ran a hand through his hair, an exasperated sigh escaping his lips.

“I _have_ been calling you, you idiot. Do you even have your phone around you?” Toph huffed, waving her phone in Zuko’s face. His face flushed when he realized his phone had been on his bedside table, untouched. He mumbled a quick _no_ and rolled his eyes when she snorted out a snide laugh.

Toph was the daughter of the former owner of Kuei Electric, and when Zuko accompanied his father on business trips to the Earth country, they had formed a friendship. There were a few years in between after Ozai’s arrest where they fell out of contact and it was a coincidence when they found each other again in school in Ba Sing Se. 

She had been too young to be at his father’s trials but being the daughter of one of the richest men in the country had given her insight on what happened to Zuko. Considering Toph was blind; she was the only one that didn’t comment on his scar. And Zuko appreciated it more than he let on. Their friendship had rekindled when he found her wandering the corridors of the Language building without any direction. Now, it was two years later, and she felt it appropriate to barge into his bubble without any discretion, but Zuko didn’t mind. 

Toph had weaseled her way into Zuko’s life without any hesitation, and it felt nice to have someone other than his Uncle show affection for him. She was brute and blunt, and never really expressed herself in ways other than yelling and cursing. It was a vast change from the young girl he had met when they were younger. She explained to him how her parents had forced the ladylike persona onto her for years, making her out to be a fragile, disabled girl incapable of fending for herself. It was only when she arrived at Ba Sing Se was she released from their reigns and free to be who she really felt she was.

But no matter how rowdy Toph got, she was always his most reliable friend. On days where he was feeling sick or having one of his many episodes of melancholia, Toph would show up unannounced like she knew he wasn’t doing his greatest. She had become the little sister he wished Azula was, and before Katara entered his life, Toph was the only other person he could turn to without fear of judgement or ridicule.

“Okay, you’re here now, what do you want?” He walked over to where she was standing, and she looked up at him with her milky eyes. Her stare was boring into his eyes and Zuko was at a loss as to how she managed to infiltrate his mind without the ability to see.

“Look, I’m not surprised you haven’t heard the news because I know how holed up you usually get, but this is serious,” Toph’s fists clenched, and a worried look fell over her face. It was unusually tense for someone who had always flown by freely and Zuko had an inkling fear of what the news she held would be. “Where’s your computer?”

“Over on the dining table.” Zuko led Toph towards his computer, standing behind her with arms crossed as she sat down. 

“You have to promise me not to freak out Zuko, you have to verbally tell me that you won’t go batshit at least not until we’ve heard the actual truth.” Her voice wavered and Zuko’s heart began to beat a little faster than usual. Toph was never one to beat around the bush when it came to anything, so her hesitancy made Zuko anxious. He was never one to be expressively angry, having been taught that any sign of emotion was a weakness, and Toph of all people knew this. He gulped and nodded, knowing she couldn’t see him.

“Y— yeah, sure I promise. Just tell me already, you’re freaking me out.” He nudged her shoulder lightly, and Toph turned to his computer and felt around for the raised notches on the keys. He watched as she typed out his father’s name in the search bar and his stomach dropped at the first article that appeared.

_Ozai of AZU Energy to be released in a month, one year earlier than his expected release._

A small gasp escaped Zuko’s lips and Toph turned back to face him hesitantly.

“Your uncle hasn’t said a word to me so I’m assuming he doesn’t know and Azula’s always on her computer, so she’s probably read the news, but in true Azula fashion, she’s waiting for you to discover it on your own.” Toph bit her lip but her words fell on deaf ears. Zuko walked backwards until he hit the cold concrete of the wall, his eyes glazed over in shock.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was a bitch to write, i'm gonna be honest. getting into ozai's mind and being as evil as he is was not easy and it broke my heart having to write it, and you're probably asking "why write it then!!!!" but you know i just love to torture myself apparently. i'm also really nervous to post this because it is the beginning of the darkness that is mentioned in the tags and i know that it's not everyone's favorite. but please stick with me!! there's light in the angst, i promise.
> 
> this WAS going to be a 10k word fic, but i figured it was very heavy with ozai, that zuko's reaction should be saved for the next. that one should come in a few days! just need to do a bit more editing here and there.
> 
> thank you to the lovely MarkedMage again for helping reword things and making it sound smoother!! the tags have been updated as well!
> 
> let me know what you think! be honest please, ask your questions, be critical, scream at me! anything because i'm kinda mad at myself for even coming up with this story anyway.


	3. scared to be lonely

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter warning:  
>  **SMUT ******
> 
> also this carries on directly after chapter 2, no time has passed between the end of that chapter and the beginning of this chapter.

Zuko felt his heart stop beating. His grip on reality slipped through his fingers and his world stood still.

Word of Ozai being released from prison was a discussion he knew he would have to have _eventually,_ but not when he had finally paved a new life for himself, a life free of anger and resentment. He knew it was a topic that was unavoidable, but to hear that his _piece of shit_ father would be released from his confines in a little less than a month had Zuko’s entire soul escaping his body.

“What— who told you? How did you find out?” Zuko stammered, the reality settling uncomfortably in his chest. Even though it hadn’t been confirmed, he felt Ozai’s power shroud him in the tiny room, as if he was being pulled into the very prison cell Ozai sat in.

“I overheard one of those old hag gossip professors talking about it after my Geology class,” Toph scoffed, turning in the chair to face him, her milky eyes shining with anger and sympathy. “How they found out, I don’t know myself. I think it’s brand new news.”

Zuko’s lungs stopped working, and a cold chill ran down his neck as he remembered the fear and anger he held towards the man who called himself his father. The thin thread that held his heart together began to unwind and the shadow of who he once was began to slip through the seams. He wanted to scream, but he knew those screams would morph into tears, and Zuko had promised himself long ago, that tears were reserved only for those he cared about. Never for ones who didn't deserve it.

But Ozai was his father and he was - _is_ Ozai’s son. Once more, the nightmares Zuko had, the haunting pain that still resided in his left eye, the misery of watching his father willingly neglect him for his younger sister, all came rushing back to the surface. His apartment became too stuffy for him to bear and Toph’s voice became a distant ring in his ear.

“Zuko, where—,” He heard her start, but his ears were cloudy, and his mind was a river. He grabbed his keys before she could stop him and flew out of his apartment. Thunder echoed around him and threatened a downpour, but Zuko paid it no mind. His steps were loud against the concrete as he ran down the all too familiar road towards the only place that he ever felt truly himself. 

There was only one person he knew that could mend the broken pieces of his soul and remind him that he was no longer the man that the shadow of his father molded. No longer did he long for the love of a man who had no intention of returning it. No longer was he jealous of his sister who was _born lucky._ Ozai once told him that he was _lucky to be born_ , and for years Zuko understood it as an insult. But as the years passed and the more it was revealed to him that he mattered to this world, he took his luck in stride. 

Zuko was born to a family in which love was something you earned, not something you deserved. He was born into a family where love was a reward for being worth something, for proving yourself. Zuko was lucky to be born because if he hadn’t, he would not have been able to experience his uncle’s unfailing love, a sisterly love from Toph that of which he never received from Azula, or the all too hasty love he felt from his mother before she disappeared.

And then there was _Katara._

Katara, with her ocean eyes and chocolate locks. Katara with her kind words and gentle caresses. Katara with her soft whimpers and tender kisses. Zuko’s entire being was engulfed with everything that had to do with Katara, and in the distant part of his mind, the part he rarely acknowledged, did he consider what he felt to be love.

He was too damaged, too wounded to know what it felt like to properly love someone. Familial love was not what he felt with Katara, but he knew with every fiber of his being that he could not be apart from her. He wanted to drown in the sea of her blue eyes, be suffocated by the scent of ocean water and lavender, and be deafened by the sweet sound of her voice. He would give his entire being for her, but Zuko was too inexperienced and too naive to think that his emotions held any semblance of what love felt like. 

But he kept running. The rain began its steady downpour and he blinked away the droplets of water that fell into his eyes. His vision was shrouded by raindrops and dark hair, but he had memorized this path like the back of his hand. His heart rang loudly in his ear while fright and desperation amalgamated to form a heavy weight in his chest. His legs burned and his chest heaved, the distance from his place to hers not an easy feat.

But he ran and ran and ran until he reached the bright red door to Katara’s place. Head to toe he was soaked, and he had every mind to just turn around and retreat, but despite it all, his hand reached out and rapped three heavy knocks on her door. 

It was somewhere around eight o’clock and the clouds left a dark grey hue across the city. It mirrored the dark grey shadow that loomed behind Zuko’s shoulders. Thunder boomed behind him and lightning cracked its heavy whip and Zuko’s world was still frozen in place. His breathing was ragged, and his hands shook, but as soon as Katara opened her door, her blue eyes wide with shock, the distant part of Zuko’s mind realized that his world stood in front of him, palpable, unwavering, certain.

“Zuko,” she breathed, scanning him with haste. “Why—,” but he did not give her a chance to finish.

Disregarding his soaked clothes, Zuko went straight for Katara’s lips, pouring all of his desperation and anguish into kissing her. She moaned in surprise but did not pull back, breathing in every inch of raw emotion that he unleashed. Time stopped and Zuko gripped Katara’s waist as tightly as he could, wanting to remember that she was real, that she was not some sick mind game that his father managed to weasel its way into Zuko’s conscience. Her hands made their way to his wet hair, tongues and teeth colliding.

Zuko was bred to have self-control and patience. He was raised with restraint and composure. But Katara had crawled her way under his skin and undid any form of reservation he was built upon. She made him weak and that scared him, because weakness was never allowed. But somehow, in his twisted heart, he knew Katara wouldn’t let him fall apart. 

Zuko pulled back from her lips, his grip still tight on her waist. She looked at him with questioning eyes, her lips slightly parted. He wanted to scream, to cry, to _feel_. Electric blue boring into distant gold, and Zuko knew that Katara could hear his silent plea just by looking into his eyes. Her throat bobbed as she swallowed her questions, and her hand made its way to his scar, gingerly pressing her fingers into the rough skin.

His vision blurred as she leaned up to kiss him, listening to every word his mind formed but could not expel. Her kiss was soft and understanding but Zuko was desperate for more. He grabbed her face and deepened the kiss, pouring every nerve and fiber of his being onto her lips. He pushed her back towards her living room and Katara met his distress with a sense of calm, her hands running up and down his arms as the back of her knees hit the edge of the couch.

Her gentle caresses on his arms made Zuko want to cry, disbelief in his luck at finding someone who understood him as much as Katara did. The warm feeling of her breath was tantalizing and destabilizing, making his world spin around him. His hands made their way under her shirt and Katara parted from his lips briefly to allow Zuko to take it off her; it was all she was wearing. 

For a second, he saw her bright eyes flicker with unyielding hope. Zuko was overwhelmed with grief and he felt his heart shrink more within itself. He wanted more from Katara, he wanted to be free from the chains that held him back from loving her. He wanted to live in a world where he wasn’t filled with fear of unrequited love. 

But his grief quickly disappeared as soon as her hands made their way to his wet jeans. The material clung to Zuko’s skin, but as soon as they were off, his hands twisted tightly into her hair and he pulled her face close to his.

“Please,” he whispered against her lips, pain evident in his voice, and Katara looked at him with a gaze of affection he’d never known before. She bit her lip and slid her hands under Zuko’s underwear, palming his length in her smooth hands. Zuko groaned, and his head fell on her shoulder, warmth pooling low in his belly. Katara’s fingers wrapped around his shaft as she pressed kisses onto Zuko’s neck.

“I’m going to make you feel good tonight,” she whispered, and her fingers began their ministrations, pumping his length with fervor. Zuko moaned deeply and thrusted his hips into her grip, feeling himself swell more and more against her touch. He bit the junction of her neck and shoulder, mindful to leave a mark. Katara moaned at the sting of his teeth and swiped her thumb over the tip of his pulsing erection.

Zuko’s hands found her breasts and he squeezed without mercy, pinching her nipple between his fingers as she stroked him. He pulled back to look at her once more. There was a grin on her face as she watched Zuko’s face contort with pleasure. Katara had pulled down his underwear and her fingers slipped into her mouth before returning to Zuko’s cock. He blinked at her as she made her way to her knees, her mouth wrapping around the tip of his length.

For a second, Zuko forgot the misery that had brought him to Katara’s in the first place. The warmth of her lips enveloped him, and he bucked his hips into her mouth. Her moan sent vibrations all through Zuko’s bones, making him shudder. She sucked fervently and his hands made their way back into her hair. He hissed and tightened his grip as she grazed her teeth against the sensitive skin.

“Spirits, Katara, you’re so good to me,” he managed to mumble, all of his senses on high alert. He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up as her thumbs rubbed small circles on his thighs. Zuko took small, shallow breaths and thrust slowly into Katara’s mouth, meeting her movements. He looked down at her through his eyebrows, a deep groan escaping his lips as she stared back at him. The combination of her slender fingers and her warm mouth was enough for Zuko to come apart, but he stopped himself and pulled her up and down onto the couch.

His gold eyes were dark with desire as he climbed on top of her. His lips found hers once more, his silent cries loud in his kiss. He braced his arm next to her head and his other hand found her center. His fingers connected with her clit, her moan muffled in his mouth. His fingers were slick with her wetness and Zuko pressed his hot length against her thigh.

Zuko was so overwhelmed with pleasure that Katara was able to flip them over so she sat on top of him. With wide eyes, he stared at her and she smirked. Her hands trailed up and down his chest, her face inches from his.

“I told you,” she whispered against his lips, as she positioned herself over his shaft. “I’m making you feel good tonight.” And she enveloped him with the warmth of her. Zuko groaned and bucked his hips into hers roughly, relishing the feel of her heat.

“Oh, fuck, you’re incredible,” he grunted and she hummed in response. His fingers gripped her hips tightly, certain that bruises would be left in the shape of his fingers, but Katara paid it no mind. She moved with a steady rhythm, rolling her hips on top of him with ease. Zuko’s breath caught in his throat as she threw her head back in pleasure.

“Katara,” he choked out, his hips meeting hers in a desperate attempt to remind himself that she’s here and she wants him just as much as he wants her. It’s an unfamiliar feeling to him, foreign and brand new. However, since the first night he met her, he knew she was special. It was just his luck that they would meet again and now have her comforting him in the only way they knew how. His heart twisted in his chest as her eyes locked onto his, and he couldn’t find the words that could describe the overwhelming emotions that flooded through him. 

Maybe it was love, maybe it was his impending orgasm, but the whispers of _I’ve got you_ and _I’m here_ and _I won’t let you go_ that Katara gasped into his ears made his head spin and the knot in his stomach tighten. 

Katara’s hips met his and he took the chance to flip them over, thrusting into her at a demanding pace. Katara threw her head back as Zuko’s fingers rubbed against her clit once more. He bent down and kissed her lips, unable to quell the tears that built up behind his eyes. 

The tension in Zuko’s gut grew with every thrust and he felt Katara begin to spasm against him. His hips stuttered and he stilled inside her, Katara’s name a strangled cry from his mouth. She joined him, her legs wrapping around his waist, pulling him tighter to her. 

It was all too much for Zuko; the pleasure she brought him, the comfort he felt with her, the anguish and torment he felt at the thought of seeing his father again. Zuko let out a shaky sob and buried his head in Katara’s neck as the tears finally made their way out of his eyes.

* * *

A few hours had passed since their emotional sexual tussle and the pair laid comfortably on the couch covered by a fluffy blanket, sharing each other’s body heat. Zuko’s arm circled Katara’s waist squeezing her side sporadically. She traced light circles on his chest, her breath tickling his skin. 

Katara still smelled of lavender and comfort. 

Zuko could feel the tension that hung in the air and it weighed heavily on every attempt he made to explain what had brought him to Katara’s place. He felt a pang of regret in his chest every time she snuggled closer because they had been laying together for hours and she still hadn’t forced him to talk. Zuko pondered their situation and wondered whether it was karma. That the universe was telling him that with every good thing – amazing thing – he received, there had to be something bad.

He looked down at her and saw that she was staring up at him, her eyes a glimmering cobalt. His breath caught in his throat. 

“You don’t have to tell me anything,” she whispered, as if she could read his mind. Her hand reached up and brushed a stray hair out of his face and it felt like electricity each time she made contact with his skin. Zuko sighed deeply and tightened his hold on her.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to tell her. Zuko knew if there was anyone he could open his heart out to it was Katara. It was more that he was afraid of the consequences the universe would bestow on him for relishing in the joy of having someone on his side. 

To be so close and so vulnerable with someone was a fear that hung heavily on his heart. Ozai had hardened Zuko’s heart to steel and it kept him from revealing the truth of his pain to anyone he encountered. It took years for his Uncle Iroh to break down the walls that he had built up and he hadn’t made it easy. 

As a result of Ozai’s abuse, Zuko had spent most of his teenage years angry and resentful. He lashed out at any inconvenience and shut himself off when it came to any sort of confrontation. He had learned to internalize all of his emotions and buried them deep in the recesses of his mind. Zuko masked his insecurities with self confidence and arrogance, not unlike his father’s, and it piqued the interests of the so-called delinquents he went to school with. 

He lived with reckless abandon and had no regard for his own life. He would find himself skipping classes, blacking out at parties, and experimenting with multitudes of mind numbing substances that would help him escape his own mind. He depended on everything but his own self to mend the gaping hole in his soul that Ozai had happily dug.

After a terrifying seizure that landed him in the hospital, his Uncle finally put his foot down and gave Zuko a choice: continue his life of destruction or make the decision to face the demons that battled within him. The fear had been evident in his Uncle’s face, and for all Azula’s taunting and bullying (she never really learned how to communicate without insulting him), she still tagged along for visits. 

With his Uncle's unwavering support in addition to continual therapy, Zuko’s steel heart softened enough to allow him to recognize how deeply Ozai had hurt him. Instead of keeping it all to himself, he was able to grasp that hurt and mold it into a version of himself he didn’t know he could create. He still kept his air of self-confidence and walled his heart up to protect him from any chance of pain. They were small steps towards his recovery.

The years after had flown by quickly for Zuko. He had blacked out all of the memories of his time in Caldera City and began refilling his mind with moments that brought him joy: working at his Uncle Iroh’s tea shop, getting accepted into university of his choice, remembering the first time he laughed since Ozai’s arrest. 

And then the years blurred together until he met Katara on that fateful night in Ember Island. He had been blackmailed by Azula (how _the fuck_ she had found his nudes he had no clue) and he ended up in a stuffy club with whiskey thrumming through his veins and his eyes locked on a blue eyed minx in a tight black dress.

Zuko had been a bundle of nerves and alcohol, and being back at the island where false hope and fake joy lingered in every corner made him sick to his stomach. But he was intoxicated with her the moment he had laid eyes on her and he couldn’t believe it when he had her in his arms at the beach house. Then she had kissed him like they were the only two people in the world and for a split second — with clashing teeth and a mess of tongues — it felt like they were.

To have her in his arms now was different. He felt secure but exposed, safe in the arms of a blue eyed siren who had wound herself so tightly around him that he knew of nothing but her. It was a feeling Zuko was not familiar with, but not one that he wanted to be free of. 

The thought of being in love was a foreign concept to Zuko; love had a different connotation to him. Love was fear, a cruel and vicious way to gain control of the people around him. Love was angry words and bruised ribs and tearful nights. 

Then his Uncle had taught him that love was quiet evenings with a cup of tea and a game of Pai Sho. Toph showed him that love was endearing insults. Katara taught him that love was… 

Zuko didn’t know what it _truly_ felt like to love someone. But he did know that maybe somewhere in his twisted brain, he loved Katara. So he took a deep breath and pressed his lips against the top of her head.

“My father is being released from prison in a month,” he said hoarsely. The words tasted like blood on the tip of his tongue, metallic and sharp, lingering like a moth to a flame. 

* * *

Katara’s breath hitched and bright blue eyes shot up to meet Zuko’s weary face. His eyes were closed and his face was twisted in quiet thought. A numbing pain shot straight through her chest as she watched his golden eyes flicker open and stare back at her. They were filled with anguish and fear, darting left and right to try and read her expression. She felt the weight of all his worry fall on her shoulders and she wanted to keep it there to spare him from the pain he felt everyday.

She thought back to the first time Zuko had opened up to her about his family: she had woken up from a nightmare, her mother’s screams loud in her ears, and Zuko’s arms were wrapped tightly around her as he consoled her. Her nightmares had been a normal occurrence since childhood but it had only been a few times that Zuko was around to witness them. She felt like a burden and an annoyance but he still held her close until her breaths normalized and the distant screams became nothing more than quiet whispers. 

It was a particularly chilly night as the wind howled outside and tree branches banged loudly against his window. Zuko’s hands rubbed soothing circles on her back while she hid her face in his chest, trying to remember what it felt like to breathe at a regular pace. He laid gentle kisses on her temple and allowed her to come back to reality. His gravelly voice carried in the room, _i’m here, i won’t let you go,_ echoing throughout Katara’s bones and then and only then did she really feel safe. When her breaths had calmed and the room stopped spinning, Zuko pulled back and brushed a stray tear off her cheek. 

“My dad’s in prison,” he whispered, eyes of molten gold reflecting the same fear that she knew her blue held as well.

“My— Ozai took a hot iron and planted it right on my face.” Katara felt like she could throw up. The scar on his face was gruesome and it was jarring to find out that it had come from none other than the one person who should care for him. Of course, Katara knew better than to think that parents would be protectors of their children while her own father couldn’t bear to look at either of his kids. 

“He had everyone wrapped around his finger that it took me almost dying of pain for people to confess,” he laughed bitterly and his thumb skimmed over her lips. She supposed it was naive of her to think that the scar was the only injury Ozai had inflicted on Zuko. Her brain had disconnected from her ears and it wasn’t until Zuko’s eyes widened with worry that she realized she was crying. 

“No, no baby don’t cry. Please don’t cry.” His fingers hurriedly wiped at her cheeks and she laughed sardonically. Of course it would still be him to comfort her. The words that formed in her brain felt superficial and useless. She could do nothing but wrap her arms around his waist and remind him that he didn’t need to worry of feeling the same pain he had felt as a child. 

But tonight felt different. Tonight, Katara felt herself filled with the power of countless spirits, pumping her blood with an infinite amount of courage. She pushed herself up to face Zuko square in the face, her features hardened with determination. 

“No, that can’t— he can’t. That’s not possible. He has a full year left!” Katara’s voice was thick with anger. Anger that came from the reality of life’s unfairness. Anger at how easy it was for the world to _fuck them over_ without so much as a blink from the gods that ruled the world. Anger at herself that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t gather the courage to admit the emotions that hung so heavily in the back of her soul, the emotions that drove her to feel so much for this boy that deserved nothing but joy. That _gave_ her nothing but joy. 

The corners of Zuko’s lips lifted into a small smile and he ran his hand through the front of her hair and cupped her cheek in his palm. Katara bit her lip and her eyebrows furrowed. 

“Sokka, he’s a computer genius, he can find more shit about Ozai and keep him locked up like he deserves.” She sat up fully, and reached for her phone, forgetting that Zuko was a well kept secret to everyone she knew. His hand wrapped around her wrist before she could reach the device and he held her hand in his over his chest. Katara could feel his heartbeat through his calloused fingers. 

“You and I both know that’s a bad idea, he doesn’t even know me,” he said and laced his fingers in hers. 

“This is so fucking unfair.”

“I know.” A sharp intake of breath. “I’m terrified.”

Katara blinked and the anger washed away and was replaced with fear. 

“Zuko… are you safe?” It was a question that scared her to her core. The prospect of his father being released had been nothing more than a fleeting thought; a conversation that didn’t last longer than a few sentences and imagined _what if’s._ It was now a reality and it dawned once more on Katara just how fragile their lives were. If Zuko’s father was fearless enough to stamp his son with a permanent mark of hatred, who knew what else he was capable of. It made her heart stop beating and her stomach twist in alternating directions. 

Zuko took a deep breath and sat up, sliding to sit against the armrest of the couch. 

“I have no clue,” Zuko sighed, letting her hand go and running it through his hair. It was shorter now, his forehead was visible and the butterflies in her stomach fluttered through the alternating twists.

Zuko moved out from under Katara’s legs and swung his legs off the couch. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees and sighed. Her hand reached for his back, hoping her touch could convey the words she could not say.

“Toph told me… My Uncle doesn’t know either.” He rubbed his face roughly and turned back at her with a scowl.

“And if Azula heard,” he scoffed. “She wouldn’t say a word to me until I asked. The article wasn’t even official so I don’t know what to believe.”

Katara adjusted and wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her chin on his shoulder.

“I have no idea how he got an entire year removed from his sentence.” He continued. 

“It’s bullshit if you ask me.”

Zuko snorted. “Knowing Ozai, he probably has connections with the judge that sentenced him. It’s all politics in my fucking family.” He looked away from her and she planted a soft kiss on his jaw.

“I think the first thing you need to do is talk to your uncle, Zuko.”

“Yeah… I should. I don’t even have my phone, ugh, Toph’s gonna murder me for leaving her alone.” Zuko groaned, and she couldn’t stifle her giggle. With what she knew about Toph, it was to be expected for Zuko to have a few new bruises on his arms the next time she saw him due to leaving a blind girl alone in his apartment.

Zuko looked back down at Katara, and raised his fingers to the blooming mark in the crook of her neck. He brushed over the small bruise and sighed before looking out the window towards the now blue-black sky.

A few minutes of silence passed between them, Zuko with a faraway look in his eyes and Katara with her arms wrapped tightly around him. And while they sat together in the dim light of her lamp, their shadows merging, the outside world and all of its challenges was forgotten.

Katara didn’t know how she could possibly be of any help in the war she knew Zuko was battling. 

What she did know, however, was that she wouldn’t let him fight it alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here ye are friends, i'm sorry this took longer than expected! i got writer's block right after i posted chapter two and this was a little bit of a doozy because of the delicate nature of zuko and katara falling in love.
> 
> ITS THERE GUYS THEY JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE IT BC THEYRE BOTH SO TRAUMATIZED. i think i'll explore more of katara and zuko's internal struggles before more drama ensues idk idk i'm just treating these notes as my brain process it's fine.
> 
> let me know what you think!! please comment, leave kudos, it really really does motivate me and i would love to know what yall think!
> 
> thank you to markedmage once again for being mightily incredible, luv u long time mate


	4. slip of the tongue

The next morning, Zuko reluctantly pried himself away from Katara’s hold to face the wrath of a five foot tall little witch who’s sure to have destroyed his entire apartment. But Katara’s embrace was warm and her presence brought solace to him in a world that loved to rip him apart from the hilt of his sanity. He didn’t want to leave but he knew he needed to get answers. _Who was the judge that released his father? What did Ozai do to be able to get his sentence reduced by an entire year? Why did the universe love to fuck around with him so much?_

“Call me when you figure everything out, okay?” They stood by the door and Katara’s hold on his hand was enough to tether him to reality. He nodded and pressed a kiss on her forehead, letting it linger before he dropped her hand and made his way back to his apartment. 

Zuko ran through a list of priorities in his head: he needed to call Azula and confirm that the news was true, then call his Uncle who he knew was oblivious to the rest of the world around him. Then there was Toph, who he could handle, however it was nine in the morning and Toph was a late riser. 

The rain had left a dense fog in the air and the blue sky looked greyer than it usually did. Zuko didn’t know if it was normally like that after rainfall or if his view of the world was much bleaker than he remembered. 

“ _Fucking stop,”_ he mumbled to himself, running a hand through his thick hair. Zuko had learned many ways to overcome the intrusive thoughts that would enter his mind. When he was having a particularly bad day, he was able to revert his thoughts back to things that mattered to him (tea with his uncle, the remaining memories of his mom, Katara), breathing exercises and the typical destressors taught in therapy. But it seemed as though the thoughts he had now were much too strong for a simple breathing trick.

Zuko chewed on his lip as he walked back to his apartment slowly and contemplated the options he had. Ozai would be out sometime before his birthday and he wasn’t sure what hearings he had to attend, or if he had to. The restraining order put in place against Ozai was set to activate upon his release, so Zuko needed to contact his lawyer to clarify the change of events. The prison he was locked up in was thousands of miles away from him here in Ba Sing Se (his lawyer felt it appropriate to keep this detail a secret). He walked and walked through the familiar roads until the thoughts carried him to his apartment. 

“Finally, where the hell have you been?” Zuko heard a shrill voice that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, in hopes that it was just Toph impersonating his sister.

“Hello? Anyone there?” Azula’s voice sounded like nails scraping against a chalkboard and Zuko groaned inwardly before he looked at her. 

“Why are you here?” He muttered, reaching into his pocket for his keys. He saw her smirk and Zuko rolled his eyes. 

“I’m here to visit you, dumb dumb, why else would I be in this part of town when I could be literally anywhere else?” Her voice dripped with arrogance and Zuko had a snarl on his lips while he pushed past her to open his door.

“Zuko, fuck you!” He heard Toph scream as soon as he opened it and he definitely was not prepared for two of the most short tempered people in his life to be yelling at him right now.

“Jeez, what’s got her all pissed off?” Azula asked behind him while he kept the door open for her. Toph was sitting up straight on his couch with an angry look on her face that only intensified when she sensed Azula in the same room.

“What the fuck is she doing here?” Toph growled and a snide laugh escaped Azula’s mouth as she kicked off her shoes. Her backpack made a loud thump on the hardwood floor and Zuko hoped he had enough time to hide in his room before the two women fought it to the death.

“Last I thought, this was _my_ brother’s apartment? Maybe I should be asking _you_.” Azula stood firmly in place with crossed arms and Toph shot up with the scowl permanently affixed to her face.

Toph scoffed and Zuko all but fled his own apartment. What the fuck was he supposed to do now?

“Okay, both of you just relax,” he sighed while he rubbed his face with his hand exasperatedly. It was too early and he was too tired to attempt a truce. “Azula, can you just tell me why you’re here?”

She harrumphed and stalked over to the dining table and threw herself into a chair. 

“Haven’t you heard the news? Dear daddy’s getting out for your birthday!” She clapped her hand in false joy and it made Zuko’s insides churn. 

“So, you’re here to terrorize him about it? Way to go, cruel queen.” Toph snorted and Zuko rolled his eyes. 

“Toph,” he started and she sat back down on the couch with the blank stare that she was so good at. It terrified him because he could never read any emotion she offered. 

“Unless you’re going to apologize for leaving me here by myself, I don’t want to hear it,” she complained and Azula snorted. Zuko wanted to drown himself.

“Wow, Zu-zu, leaving girls in your apartment by themselves? I thought you had more respect for women than that?” Azula mocked, then looked over at Toph and smirked. “But I guess she doesn’t count does she?” 

“You’re such a fucking bi—,” Toph jumped out from her seat and Zuko hand to leap to stop her from attacking Azula who sat cooly in her seat, the smirk never leaving her face.

“Azula, do you mind not being a jerk for like fifteen seconds? You were the one that showed up here without any warning.” Zuko’s arm was across Toph’s shoulders to keep her in place and she grumbled, pushing him away.

Although, he _was_ thankful that he didn’t have to explain his whereabouts because that would cause more issues than he cared to deal with.

“Just tell me why you’re here and we can sort this shit out without you two eating each other alive.”

Azula sighed and she sat up, leaning her elbows on the table. 

“Look, okay, I know I haven’t been the best—,” Toph scoffed, Azula glared, and Zuko wanted to kick both of them out of his apartment. 

“But?” Zuko asked and he walked over to sit next to her. 

“And I know I was pretty much his sheep when we were kids,” she paused before looking at him straight in the eyes. “But this shit is fucked up and we both know that.”

“That’s one thing we can agree on,” Toph stood up and joined them at the table, her white cane clacking against the wood.

Zuko felt a heavy weight lift off his shoulders that he didn’t know he was carrying. He didn’t know what he expected Azula to say, but it wasn’t this. 

“So, I’m here and we’re going to get to the bottom of this because an entire year off a sentence? That’s bullshit.” 

Katara’s voice echoed in Zuko’s head and he wished she was here to discover this mystery with them as well. Maybe he could… _no._ His life was only going to get more complicated and he didn’t want to drag her into the mess. She deserved a life free of stress and he knew he couldn’t give that to her. He felt his chest tighten. 

“Has it been made official yet?” Zuko heard Toph ask, pulling him out of his thoughts. Azula stood up to grab her laptop and shook her head. 

“I called dad’s lawyer when I read the article and he said there were a few more things that needed to get smoothed out between the judge and him,” she sat back down and lifted the screen of her computer. She began to type quickly and spun the computer around to show another article claiming the same news. 

“Caldera Daily has already gotten a quote from the bastard. How is it even legal to tell others before his actual family?”

Zuko stared at the words in bold that determined Ozai’s future. _The former CEO has been in deliberation with me and the judge, but I can safely say he will be back in the real world soon._ He felt bile rise to his throat. 

“What does it say?” Toph asked and Zuko blinked at her, having temporarily forgotten that she was blind. 

“Oh— um, his lawyer said that he’ll be back in the real world soon.”

“That’s the vaguest shit I’ve ever heard.” Toph scoffed and Azula nodded. 

“So, I called up my connections— the nerd never fucking sleeps — and he said that we could possibly hack into the databases and see why exactly this judge decided he was cleared to leave.” Azula swiveled the computer back around to face her and began to type again. 

Zuko felt his insides tighten and his hands fisted beneath the table. As ambitious as Azula was, hacking into government systems felt like a plot to a really bad action movie. He didn’t want to be involved in a cyber crime and further the damage that was already brought to their name. 

“That’s illegal, Azula.”

“I know, but I also know people who are just as inclined with firewalls and breaking into classified online files as I am so I’m not worried.” Her computer swiveled around again to show her email correspondence with someone named Blue Socks. It explained how they could break through the tough firewall by obtaining former employee logins, which they would obtain by other forms of hacking that Zuko didn’t understand. He had to admit he commended his sister for being a genius. 

“I’d love a narrator if you wouldn’t mind,” Toph huffed and Azula rolled her eyes. 

“You can leave, you know?” Azula, for all her intelligence, was a fucking bitch. 

“Okay, you know what, I have every right to know this shit because it was _your_ dad that fucked _my_ dad over.”

“You were like 8, what did you know?”

“Uh, that my dad was bitching every night to my mom about how we were going to lose our fortune? I’m blind but I’m not stupid.”

“Whatever, that doesn’t even matter at this point.”

Before Toph could retort, Zuko cleared his throat and looked between the two of them. If he wanted to get them out of here without attacking each other, he had to resort to being the middleman. 

“Ozai fucked both our families up, and we all need to find out what’s going on.” Zuko leaned closer to them and folded his hands. 

“I was going to tell Uncle today, but whatever this is you’re planning doesn’t seem to be something he should know about.” Zuko imagined his Uncle lecturing him on the dangers of cyber crime, but he didn’t think Uncle knew enough about it to have an opinion. 

“You can tell him about dad’s release, but don’t tell him what we’re doing. He wouldn’t understand anyway.” Azula began to type away on her computer again and Zuko wondered whether her plan would actually work out. What would he do when they find out what Ozai had actually plotted to get him out early? 

“So, explain to me, what is it that you plan on doing with this Blue Socks guy?”

He heard Toph whisper blue socks in recognition but he brushed it off. Azula’s typing ceased to relent and she had a look of concentration on her face. 

“Well, I’m meeting up with him later today to discuss our initial move. We need to first find out what servers Caldera Court uses and lucky for us we have access to some of the files we need because of Zhao.”

“Zhao? What the hell does he have to do with any of this?” He remembered the man with the creepy voice that always had something to say at meetings. The mutton chops were a sharp reminder of Ozai’s right hand man. 

“He’s the only one that’s been to visit and I was able to fake correspondence with him and find out where dad was locked up.” Zuko’s breath hitched. 

“Azula, when did you do any of this? News didn’t come out until yesterday?” His voice wavered and Azula waited a few seconds before she answered. She looked at him with the same intense amber eyes they shared and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up once again. 

“I had a feeling something was going on with everything the last time I went back to Caldera City.” She held her hand up to stop Zuko from saying anything. 

“I had to get some paperwork for one of my classes that they hadn’t digitized, and I wanted to visit Mai and Ty Lee so I made a trip last week.”

Toph and Zuko sat quietly as Azula continued on. 

“I walked into the old offices because that’s where the secretary told me I could pick up the documents and I overheard Zhao say dad’s name on the phone. He said something about needing to switch out a lawyer and something about having enough money to prove it. Whatever _it_ is, we need to figure out.”

“Switch out a lawyer? But the one in the tabloids was the one he had initially right?” Everything started to get more confusing and Zuko just wanted to find out how much power Ozai had to be capable of evading the law even in jail.

“Yes, but I don’t think he’s the one that’s actually working in the background. I think he’s the face of the action.” Azula closed her laptop and looked between him and Toph.

“Toph, your dad has control of Kuei again right?” Azula asked, saying the younger girl's name for the first time since they had been together. It sounded odd to hear respect come out of her mouth.

“Uh,” clearly it was weird for Toph too. “Uh, yeah, he took it back like 5 years after when everything was smoothed over. He didn’t want to deal with the repercussions so he hired someone else to clean things up.”

Azula nodded and rested her chin on her folded hands. The look of concentration returned to her face and Zuko wanted to pick her brain. He knew it was a maze and sometimes he wanted to get lost in every thought Azula had.

“What does that have to do with anything?” Zuko asked, leaning back into his seat. His eyebrows furrowed, in confusion. Things were knotting up more than he could comprehend.

“When dad was put in jail, all of his assets were frozen until you and I were of age. Since you didn’t want it, and I was too young to make a decision legally, the responsibility landed on Zhao.” Azula sighed and reached back to tie her hair into a ponytail.

“The years between you rejecting the inheritance and me turning eighteen, he was able to communicate with the temporary CEO’s of each company, I don’t know what they talked about but I know it got thwarted when Mr. Beifong came back into control.”

Toph huffed and leaned back as well.

“I discovered this when I got access to all of the files after I turned eighteen. Let me tell you, hiring a personal assistant to deal with this shit was the best decision I’ve ever made. I’m twenty, I don’t need all of this stress, my hair will fall out.” Azula whined, and Zuko snorted.

“You’re pretty much the owner of a multimillion company. It’s amazing that that thing you’re worried about is your hair.”

“I’m a girl, after all, Zu-zu.”

“Right, right.” Zuko shook his head and stared up at the ceiling. It felt unbelievable that he had to deal with a volcano of news months before what was supposed to be the biggest accomplishment of his life. His graduation was four months away, and he should be wondering about what company was going to pay him the most, not that his father was planning an illegal, but legal, prison break.

“I’m gonna call someone, please don’t kill each other.” Toph and Azula mumbled something along the lines of _yeah if she doesn’t_ but he was already in his room before he could say something.

He needed to talk to Katara to settle the nausea he felt building in his stomach. Telling Uncle was urgent but he needed to hear her voice to stabilize him from the chaos that was happening.

How the hell was his sister supposed to pull off cyber crime with a random person, with government files nonetheless? It all sounded very complicated and very dangerous, but when Azula has her mind set on something, there’s no holding her back.

He had to admit though that he was thankful she wasn’t being a complete bitch to him. He knew what she was capable of (hacking, stealing, bribing, the whole lot) and Zuko definitely didn’t want to be on the receiving end of it again. 

He reached for his phone that sat untouched on his bedside table and typed in the familiar ten digits that felt like muscle memory. 

“Hello?” Katara whispered and Zuko felt any sense of worry whisk away from his chest.

“Hey, sorry, were you sleeping?”

“Zuko,” her voice perked up. “No, no, I’m in the library studying.” Zuko laughed and looked over at his clock. It was around eleven and he knew Katara had probably left as soon as he did. 

“As responsible as ever,” he said gently, a small smile on his face.

“Yeah, I was a little distracted last night,” she confessed and Zuko blushed. Usually, he’d be coy but last night was not a performance he wanted to recall.

“Sorry,” he said bashfully, running a hand through his hair and he heard Katara laugh.

“No, no it’s fine. I didn’t mind, it was fun.” Her voice had a hint of the coyness he usually had and Zuko realized he’d probably give up everything for Katara.

“Why did you call? Do you have an update?” There was shuffling on her end and a small groan before Zuko could answer.

“Shoot, I have to meet Sokka for lunch, but I can listen while I head over there?” She asked and Zuko sighed. He wanted to tell her, but it felt more appropriate if it was in person. He could wait to see her again tonight. 

“Yeah, but I don’t think you’d want to hear it before having lunch with your brother. Are you free tonight?” Zuko sat back on his bed and laid down. He covered his eyes with his arm as the shuffling on Katara’s side continued. 

“Are you sure? Yeah, I’m free but I swear I can listen now.”

“Yeah, I’m sure. Azula’s here with Toph, so I should probably head back to them.” He heard her gasp and Zuko mentally kicked himself. He was gonna save that for later.

“Azula’s there? Why?” Katara whispered frantically.

“Because of Ozai, she has devised a plan on how to figure out why he’s getting out so early. But I’ll tell you later. You should have fun with Sokka.” He heard her groan again and a door creaked as well.

“You’re the worst,” she complained. “But fine, I want to see you anyway.”

Zuko’s smile widened.

“I wanna see you too, go eat. Text me when you’re done.”

“Okay, lo--,” he heard her gasp and Zuko’s eyes widened. Was that?

“Lo- looks like rain,” Katara stuttered and Zuko looked out his window to sunshine and a cloudless sky. His heart skipped a beat and he bit his lip.

“Yeah,” he breathed out. “Stay dry.”

After he hung up, Zuko stalked back out to the living room and saw Azula and Toph talking quietly to each other. They looked up when they heard his door creak and Zuko stood awkwardly beneath their stare.

Azula coughed and stood up.

“Well, Zu-zu, I hope you want a roommate, because I’ll be here until we figure this out.”

Zuko’s eyes widened again and he stammered out a frantic “what?”

Azula’s smile was feral and he knew Toph was laughing at his misery.

* * *

Katara spent the entire walk to the diner kicking herself for almost telling Zuko she loved him. It had happened on instinct and she didn’t know if he had caught her slip up. She knew he wouldn’t say a word if he had, but the thought of unreiquiety lingered in her head.

She blindly hugged Sokka and was completely invested in her mistake to pay attention to anything he had to say. She ran scenario after scenario of how she could explain herself to Zuko if he asked her about it tonight, _if_ he still wanted to see her. 

Their food was placed in front of them but she was still lost in her own mind. Sokka didn’t seem to notice as he dove into his food as soon as the waitress left. His voice was a distant echo in her head as she unconsciously poked at her food.

“Katara, what is on your neck?” Sokka’s question shot her out of her thoughts and she jumped back quickly enough to avoid his outstretched hand. She reached for the blueish mark she knew he had seen and cursed herself in her head. 

Today seemed to be the day for constant fuck ups she guessed.

“I- I burnt my neck with my curling wand,” Katara lied and tried to hide the mark with her neck. She hoped Sokka was clueless enough to not realize that she had never curled her hair a day in her life.

His face scrunched up in confusion, before stuffing another bite of his fish in his mouth. He pointed his fork at her.

“You’re lying,” he said with a mouthful and Katara scoffed at his accusation, still tugging at her hair.

“Just leave it,” she said, pushing her food around with her fork.

“I’ll find out who he is sooner or later,” Sokka said matter of factly. She wanted to throw herself down a well. She knew it was smarter to let her brother think what he wanted to think rather than arguing.

“Whatever, just tell me what you wanted to talk about.” Katara was definitely not ready to make Zuko known to her family, especially now. 

Sokka took a drink of his water and leaned back in his seat. He smirked at her and clapped his hands together.

“I have been assigned a mission,” he said proudly and Katara rolled her eyes.

“Okay, Mr. Double-oh-seven, what’s your mission?”

“So, I met this girl on this Reddit thread a few years ago and we talked about hacking and background checks and shit,” Sokka shoved another spoonful of food in his mouth. 

“Does Suki know about this?”

“Oh, fuck no. She hates anything that has to do with cybersleuthing. Besides, it’s all innocent.” Katara nodded and leaned back in her chair. She took a sip of her water and waited for Sokka to finish chewing.

“Anyway, she’s the one who taught me how to be a blank slate essentially, how I could get onto any server without a digital footprint. It’s made background checks and changing grades a lot easier.”

“You’re a criminal, you know that?” Sokka shrugged.

“I’m getting paid 200 for each grade I change, I really don’t care.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin and looked at her.

“As I was saying, she needed a right hand man for this government thing she was doing. I can’t say much, but it has to do with AZU Energy.”

Katara choked on her spit.

“AZU, what?” She said incredulously, holding onto her chest. Sokka had a confused look on his face as he handed over her cup of water.

“Yes, why? Do you know anything about it?”

Katara wasn’t sure if she should say that yes, she knew that the former CEO was the father of her… What was he? Lover? Bedside companion? She supposed it didn’t matter. Katara bit her lip and shook her head.

“Nope… not a clue.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ALRIGHT ok don't attack me for the OOCness of azula please, because i love her so much and like most people i think she deserves to be redeemed but its fine, i'll just dream right?
> 
> anyway, i hope this was OKAY AH i know i said i was going to have a schedule but i signed up for 2 writing events to try and test the waters of my writing haha BUT I WILL STAY DEDICATED bc no matter how much i doubt myself in this story, i keep coming back to it
> 
> i'll be totally honest, this chapter kinda strayed away from my original idea, but IM SO FOR IT!! i hope you guys are too. 
> 
> if i start posting but not updates i apologize ;~; i swear i am dedicated, i just fiddle with these chapters bc i want them to be as good as i can get them.
> 
> thank you for your comments and your encouragements! they really really do mean a lot to me, and i love looking back at them and adjusting how i write. y'all are the best and i can't express my gratefulness enough so take my meager writing haha
> 
> if you have it, my tumblr is http://all-thewaydown.tumblr.com and am fairly active there and i'd love to be friends!


	5. i'm ready, are you?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sokka and azula meet, zuko and katara risk getting caught

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> recap (SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO HAVENT READ):
> 
> azula comes to visit, toph and her argue, katara finds out that sokka is meeting up with zuko's sister, zuko is oblivious, whether thats bc he doesn't want to know about his dad yet, or bc he knows it's sokka, we'll find out soon!!
> 
> enjoy my friends!

Katara and Sokka walked down the gravel streets after their lunch and she pretended to listen as he prattled on about the _losers who are so easily duped into paying him hundreds of dollars for something they could do if they googled it._ She was never really interested in the sins her brother committed, but she had to admit that it was a clever use of his skills. She was just happy that Sokka was too preoccupied to deal with her secrets.

“Anyway, little sis, I have to meet this girl about AZU Energy pretty soon,” Sokka’s voice echoed as he glanced at his watch. It was a quarter to 2 and Katara’s anxiety about Sokka working with Zuko’s sister hadn’t wavered. She gave Sokka a weary smile. 

“I really hope you know what you’re doing,” Katara said softly, stopping in her tracks to look Sokka in the eyes. For all his intelligence, there was still a fear in her that like their mother, something would go astray and she’d lose one more person that she cared about. Katara had never really cared much for the shenanigans Sokka got up to, but his involvement in the crimes of AZU Energy seemed to trigger her worry. Sokka seemed to understand as his features softened when he looked at her. 

“Hey,” he said as he placed his hands on her shoulders. “Everything’s going to be okay, I won’t willingly put myself into danger if I knew the consequences.”

Katara bit her lip and looked into her brother’s identical blue eyes. There was a slight inkling in her to reveal the reason why she was so worried about his involvement with breaking down AZU Energy. If she were to be honest about knowing the owner’s son more than she cares to confess… 

No. Not today. Not anytime soon.

“I just worry… you know that,” Katara faked a small smile and patted Sokka’s shoulder. He chuckled and stepped away from her and began walking backwards to where she assumed he was meeting Zuko’s sister. 

“And you gotta stop doing that, I’m 23 and a computer hacking genius,” he put up finger guns with a grin before tripping over an uneven sidewalk. Katara laughed and Sokka flipped her off. They parted ways but not with Katara’s stomach flipping left and right with anxious nerves. 

She pulled out her phone and began to dial the all too familiar number, hoping Zuko would answer to ease her mind about her brother meeting up with Azula.

 _“Hello?”_ Came a muffled voice, shrill screams coming from the background. Katara flinched when a voice she assumed was Azula’s screamed at another person who she assumed was Toph.

“What’s going on?” She said loudly, hopefully loud enough to overpower the screaming.

 _“Toph and Azula got into it over who gets to stay the night here,”_ the volume of the screaming decreased and Katara heard a door shut on the other line.

“ _Hey again_ ,” Zuko says softly, the smile on his voice audible. “ _Sorry about that. I’d rather have you staying here than either one of them_.”

Katara let out a giggle and followed the path that led back to her apartment. 

“I’d love to come over right now but I don’t think that’s entirely possible, is it?”

“ _Um, not currently, unless you’re ready to throw yourself into the insanity that is Toph and Azula._ ” A shuffle and what Katara knows is a stretch comes from the other end of the line.

“I think I’ll hold off for now,” she says and Zuko lets out a small laugh. 

“ _Where are you headed right now? I’m assuming you’re done with Sokka?_ ” Before Katara could answer, she heard the sound of Zuko’s door swinging open and a voice screaming his name.

“ _Fuck sorry, what do you want Azula, jesus fuck you could knock?”_

_“I’m leaving asshat, I’m meeting up with that Blue Socks guy to try and figure this shit out, do you want to come?”_

Katara’s breath gets caught in her throat and she hears Zuko stop breathing as well.

“ _Uhh, no I think I’m good. Just update me when you have news.”_ Katara let out a sigh of relief. She wasn’t prepared for Zuko to meet her brother and from the sound of it, he wasn’t ready either. The mutual understanding between them makes her heart flutter in the oddest way.

The door slams shut and Katara can hear Zuko groan and lay back on his bed. She looked up at the sky and saw the grey clouds begin to shroud the once blue atmosphere and she knew that rain would be imminent. It reflected what she was feeling on the inside.

 _“Katara, come over anyway. Toph’s going to be asleep on the couch and she won’t notice anything.”_ Zuko whispered and the need in his voice rattled through her bones. Katara bit her lip and contemplated the risks.

But Zuko’s _please, I need to see you,_ stripped all her fears from her back and she made her way to his place in a beat.

* * *

Azula’s foot tapped loudly on the linoleum floor while she waited for this Blue Socks guy to shop up at the diner they decided on. The agreed time was a quarter to three and when she last checked, it was nearing 3:15. Many things annoyed Azula and having to wait on late arrivals was high on her list. She was close to calling this guy and giving him a piece of her mind until a boy with a ponytail and an undercut bustled through the door.

He looked disheveled and out of breath and something about him indicated that he was the guy that Azula was looking for. The blue socks he wore also hinted at his identity. He shuffled to where she was standing and gave her a lopsided grin. 

Azula rolled her eyes.

“I’m assuming you’re Blue Socks, and I’m assuming you have a reason for being tardy?” She says sternly, and the look of surprise on the boy’s face made Azula smirk. 

“What gave it away? The blue socks?” He retorted snarkily and it made Azula nod in appreciation. Finally someone who could keep up with her wit. 

“Let’s get to it, shall we?” She began her trek to an empty table and listened for the footsteps following behind her.

“Well, aren’t you eager?” Azula heard him say as she sat down in one of the plastic booths and rolled her eyes again.

“Not so much eager as determined to find out how my criminal of a father conjured a way to get out of a sentence early when he nearly killed my brother.” Blue Socks’ eyes widened and he let out a strained cough. He sat across from her and they pulled out their laptops simultaneously.

“First things first, I’m Azula. My father is-- was the head CEO of AZU energy before he fucked up and decided he wanted to rule the world and kill his son, which obviously didn’t work out. Now I’m here with you trying to get to the bottom of this whole fiasco.” She took a breath before continuing. 

“I go to Caldera State and I’m majoring in Computer Science with a minor in Forensic Sciences. I could’ve done this on my own, but I’m still trying to figure out the logistics of erasing my carbon footprint and your reddit bio made it clear that you could help me out.”

Blue Sock’s eyes were wide with her explanation and he let out a chuckle that Azula tried not to think was an insult.

“Wow, that’s impressive. You’re clearly a gem within the coal.” _What the fuck?_

“I’m Sokka, I’m also a Computer Science major, but I’m not minoring in anything.” He scratched his head and looked up, clearly trying to think of something to impress Azula.

“I’m really good at hacking into servers, disguising my IP address - I can teach you that while we work on this -, and changing grades for dumbass students.” He grinned widely and crossed his arms over his chest. Azula had to admit that he checked off pretty much every box that she had for someone to help her break into the prison’s and lawyer’s system.

“I think we’ll make a great team.” They said simultaneously. 

Azula looked away from Sokka and back to her computer and began to type.

“Okay, so I figured that we could start with trying to get the identities and the IP addresses of my dad’s legal team.” She pulled up the website to I, R, and Company’s website and turned her laptop screen to face Sokka.

“The main guy that does all the interviews is Izko. He’s been my father’s lawyer since the very beginning.”

“So what’s the deal with him?” Sokka asked, typing as he looked back down at his screen. She could only assume that it was to type the same information on his laptop.

“Basically, I think he’s the face of my father’s release. I think there are more people working behind the scenes and they just use Izko to save face.” Sokka looked up at her with a confused face.

“Is your father really notorious for being this sneaky?” Azula lets out a dry laugh.

“He’s known for more than just that. He stole the seat of 3 CEO’s of other companies and pressed a hot iron onto my brother's face. Not only that, there’s speculation that he drove my mother out of the house instead of the story that she actually died.” Sokka choked on his water.

“Yeah, my family is kind of fucked up. I found out the thing about my mother a few weeks ago when I heard one of his lackey’s - his name is Zhao, you might want to write that down - mentioned something about my mom’s hometown and needing to make sure that ‘ _any witnesses were taken care of’,”_ Azula said with air quotes.

“Fuck dude, what the hell were your parents up to?”

“Don’t call me dude,” Azula said snidely with a cold glare that made Sokka cower, before looking back down to her screen. “Also, I have no clue. I was seven. All I cared about when my mother was around was playing with my brother.”

“Well, whatever it was, Ozai’s name is all over the Caldera Prison database and there are hundreds of files that go on for years.” Sokka said, spinning his computer around to show Azula the multitude of files that incriminated her father. She sighed and leaned towards his screen.

“Those are all public access and files that I have in the offices.” She said, making Sokka tsk and swivel his computer back around. 

“What I need is to get into the minds of Izko and Zhao, and their personal files that don’t touch the AZU servers. They’re not that smart, but they’re smart enough not to use their personal computers on the company’s wifi.” Azula leaned back in the plastic booth and ran her hands over her face in exasperation. This was going to take longer than she anticipated.

“Okay, tell me everything you want from me so we can have a clear picture of what we need to do.” Sokka said sternly while he folded his hands over the table. His sense of authority made Azula curious and she leaned forward and looked him directly in his bright blue eyes.

“I want to know what Zhao and Izko are doing behind closed doors. I want access to their computers, access to the prison’s files and access to whoever my father has been in contact with. Phone records, recordings of the phone calls, transcripts and decodings because knowing my father, they are bound to speak in code.” Azula’s hands began to shake in their folded form, the reality of her father’s evils hitting her like a train.

Sokka looked taken aback at the information that was just presented to him, but he did not say anything about his shock. But before he could say anything, Azula continued.

“Despite all that, I want to keep my brother safe,” she said quietly and bit her lip. She and Zuko had never had the best relationship growing up, but it did not eliminate the fact that he had protected her from any blow that their father would have directed at her. Although it was very rare that Ozai would hit Azula, the moments that it would happen, Zuko was there to take the attack. She needed to repay him.

“I get it, I would do anything to protect my sister,” Sokka said, and Azula looked up from her hands in shock.

“I didn’t know you had a sister.”

“I didn’t know you had a brother.”

“Well that’s ignorance on your part, we were all over the news.”

“Considering what it was for, I wouldn’t brag about that.”

“I’m not bragging, you twat.”

“Hey, now, language. I’m pretty sure I’m your elder. You should show me some respect.” Sokka says, his voice dripping with faux arrogance. Azula enjoyed joking around with him and wanted to continue their banter.

“I show people respect if they show me respect, why should I give you any?”

“Well, I _am_ helping you figure out why your criminal dad is getting out early… I don’t _have_ to _._ ”

“Well, you _can_ kindly fuck off,” she says with a laugh and Sokka grins at her.

“I think we’re going to get along just perfectly,” he says and they nod in agreement.

“Now, let’s get into this shit and find out what Izko, Zhao and Ozai are hiding.” Sokka pauses, and looks up at Azula.

“You think their names all being four letters has anything to do with anything?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHH a wild update! i'm so sorry for the wait on this one, i started my new job (which let me tell you has been kicking my ass), got distracted by other works, and finally got inspired again for this one.
> 
> (thank you folklore)
> 
> i want to try to update every other week so this doesn't get forgotten because i love this story so much and i want to see it through.


	6. right next to you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi i will admit this was a little rushed but that's because i need the story to move along for it to be interesting!!! i hope you guys liked it. i'm sorry it's not the best but i'm hoping it will be better as the story progresses. i’m so excited about where the story is gonna go now and all of the pieces are falling together and AHH
> 
> smut warning!!

Sokka slunk back into the plastic diner booth and stared at the girl in front of him who was frantically typing. Her eyes darted back and forth across the screen and she mouthed the words along with it.

It was kind of a funny sight.

“Azula, you should probably cool it with the caffeine,” he joked. He crossed his arms over his chest and sighed when she didn’t even glance at him, her focus directed solely on her laptop.

“For your information, I don’t drink caffeine. It makes your teeth yellow and makes the enamel dissolve faster. But clearly, you had no idea given…” she trailed off and Sokka scoffed.

“I’ll have you know, I use a whitening toothpaste  _ and  _ a mouthwash, so my teeth are far from yellow.” He retorted and Azula smirked. It was an interesting dynamic that had been building since they first sat down. They were both quick witted and sarcastic that the banter never seemed to die down. He enjoyed having someone other than Suki and Katara who could challenge his wit in a way that wouldn’t make his arms bruised.

Azula was a smart girl who knew what she wanted. She had given him a list of AZU employees that she felt suspicious of, and it was his job to find out whether or not they had a background in espionage or any activity that could possibly tie them to her father. Ozai, who Sokka had been running background checks on since he got in contact with Azula, had an extensive list of crimes and misdemeanors that seemed to have been pushed under a rug and ignored for several years before he was convicted. The list was not comprehensive, but it gave Sokka an idea of what kind of people her father got involved with.

Currently, he was downloading a file on a man named Zhao, who had apparently been Ozai’s second man through the entirety of his CEO position. Azula had mentioned that she overheard him having a conversation about a mysterious notion of someone finding something out, and it was Sokka’s job to find out exactly what that was.

A white screen popped up on his laptop that populated with folders that were dated from 20 years back. He took a deep breath and glanced up at Azula who was chewing on the end of a pen, her eyebrows scrunched in concentration. He took a look at his watch and saw half past 6, 2 hours since they arrived, with only a little bit of progress. 

This was becoming a long mystery, and he was ready to put his sleuthing skills to the test. He began to click through the first folder, finding files upon files Zhao’s signature on treaties with Kuei Electric. It seemed to be that he was the head of the transaction, with Ozai merely signing every other file.

There were pictures of him from his youth, the oldest dating from Zhao’s freshman year of college next to a woman with long black hair that slightly resembled Azula. Sokka’s eyebrow rose in interest when he found another photo from just a few years back taken from behind. Zhao was standing next to a woman with long black hair, just as petite and just as tall as the woman from Zhao's freshman year.

* * *

Katara couldn’t breathe. 

Her teeth dug deeply into her bottom lip to keep from being too loud as Zuko’s tongue worked furiously at her core. Her legs were propped over his shoulders and her hands were tightly wound in the sheets and it took everything in her not to scream out Zuko’s name.

It hadn’t been that long. It had only been a day since they had seen each other, but the way his tongue lapped at her clit and his fingers pumped inside of her made it seem like it had been years since they last met. 

“Zuko,” Katara breathed out shakily, unable to stabilize the quiver in her voice. He was relentless and she was insatiable, savoring every second of pleasure that she was feeling. It occurred to her that the reason she was being so quiet was to keep from waking the girl sleeping on Zuko’s couch. But the closer she was to reaching her orgasm, the further away her sense of caution seemed to be.

The pressure was mounting, building low in her belly and in between her legs, and coiling in her chest that Katara couldn’t understand where to put her focus on. She gripped Zuko’s hair tightly and pushed him closer to her and the vibrations of his grunt spun her into a tidal wave of pleasure. 

Her orgasm shook every inch of her body, tingling in her fingers and toes and it seemed to suffocate her with how strong and amazing it felt. Her breaths came out in ragged huffs and when she let go of Zuko’s head to release him, she felt herself go limp on his mattress. She could vaguely hear his chuckle of satisfaction as he moved above her and ran his hands up and down her sides to soothe her.

“Aw, baby,” he murmured against Katara’s collarbone. “So it was good?” He asked, biting lightly on the outside of her ear. She let out a huff. He loved to tease her even when she was a boneless body beneath him.

“So good,” Katara whispered, biting his shoulder and wrapping her shaking legs around his waist. She felt Zuko’s erection through the fabric of his underwear and she felt heat course through her body once more. 

“Do you want more from me?” He whispered huskily and Katara felt herself melt beneath him. The kisses he was leaving across her chest made her feel confident and the emboldened courage in her surged her desire.

“Behind me, please, Zuko.” She said in his shoulder and he heard him groan ferally. She felt out of her element but somehow completely at ease and before she could doubt herself, Zuko’s hands locked underneath her legs and she was flipped onto her stomach. 

His fingers trailed down her back and left a trail of goosebumps along their path. Zuko gripped her hips tightly and pulled her against him and she moaned at the feel of his length against her heat. 

“Shh, Katara, you can’t be too loud,” Zuko said, his voice heavy with desire. Katara buried her face in the pillow to muffle the moan that escaped as he entered her in a one swift motion.

Katara’s brain went completely offline as his cock moved in her, hitting every nerve that brought her pleasure. She pushed herself up with her hands and looked back at Zuko who let out a small grunt with each thrust. His eyes were on her, heavy with wanton need and she felt his rhythm falter when their eyes met. Katara kept her eyes locked on him as she moaned when he hit a particularly good spot and he growled.

“I’m so close Katara,” he whispered shakily, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her flush against his chest. His chest heaved behind her as he reached around to rub her clit again and she felt herself coming undone once more. Unintelligible words of  _ fuck you’re so tight  _ and  _ yes, baby, again for me and only me _ came out of his mouth and Katara shook against his chest with her peak. Both his arms wrapped around her tightly as he came, his breath tickling her neck, and they fell tangled with each other on the mattress.

* * *

“Azula, I think I found something you might want to know about,” Sokka said, swiveling his laptop around. A few seconds passed before Azula looked up and she stared at his screen with a blank look.

“Are you messing with me?” She asked and he rolled his eyes before realizing that when he turned his laptop around, he accidentally clicked on his web browser that opened up to a website selling Avatar playing cards.

“Oh, my bad, no this is what I wanted to show you.” Sokka exited out of the browser and put the two pictures side by side. He swiveled the computer back around and he heard Azula’s breath hitch.

“Wait, that’s my mother he’s next to in this photo when he was young but…” Azula’s eyes once again darted across the screen. She began to bite her thumb nail as she looked to Sokka with an innocence in her eyes that he did not think he would see.

“When were these taken Sokka?” She asked quietly, her thumb never leaving her mouth. He bit his lip and pointed to the older photo.

“That one was taken in 1990, so they were about eighteen there, I’m assuming,” he said and Azula nodded along with his every word.

“Then this newer one was taken two years ago, at least that’s what the date said.” Sokka was hesitant when he finished his sentence, watching as Azula’s eyes widened in shock. There was a period of silence between them where he could feel a thick layer of tension building. Azula never took her eyes off the screen.

“Sokka, my father told me my mother was killed in a flight,” he froze and glanced at the woman who’s back resembled the stature of the younger woman in the older photo.

“When I said she disappeared it’s because my brother doesn’t think she died.” Azula’s amber eyes pierce through his like a sword.

“If this was taken two years ago…” a pause. “That means my father lied, my mother is alive, and Zhao knows where she is.”

“Wait, wait, wait… your father told you and your brother that your mother died in a plane crash?” Sokka asked incredulously. “And yet you just told me she disappeared?”

Azula sighed and pushed his laptop back towards him. She slumped in the booth and it was the first time Sokka saw her shoulders falter since they sat down.

“My father is not a good man, I told you this. Evidently, he either plotted with Zhao to take her somewhere far so she couldn’t intervene with his crimes…” Azula cringed and pulled her hair out of the ponytail.

“Or Zhao is completely blindsided and doesn’t know that my father knows he’s visiting my ‘dead’ mother.”

Sokka’s eyes were wide in disbelief and he stared at Azula’s shrunken frame. He knew that her family was all kinds of fucked up going into this investigation. He remembered when he was younger, the tabloids and the news channels were abuzz with the news that AZU Energy’s CEO turned out to be a fraud  _ and  _ a child abuser. The man who had put up an impeccable facade for the world to see ended up being one of the most terrible men in the nation, and here he was, sitting across from the person who experienced and witnessed his cruelty firsthand.

“Azula, holy fuck,” he cursed, leaning back against the seat. “What do we do now?”

Azula looked crestfallen, but her eyes were determined.

“Well Blue Socks,” she gave him a wink and a forced smile. “We keep digging.”

* * *

“Your sister and my brother are probably knee deep in your past right now, Zuko.” Katara said, as she pulled his shirt over her head and tossed him his discarded underwear. It had been a solid forty five minutes of gathering their strength after one of the most intense orgasms she’d experienced, and Katara knew it was time to talk about the rhinophant that stood so largely in the room.

“There’s nothing that wasn’t already published to the world, honestly,” he responded with a shrug. He flopped onto the bed face first, letting out a string of obscenities on his way down.

“I was followed by paparazzi til high school and I’m pretty sure they have pictures of me doing unholy things with my delinquent friends.”

Katara sighed and sat herself at the head of the bed, legs crossed and hands folded. She stared at Zuko’s back as he cursed into the mattress. She let out a small giggle when he started hitting his fists against the bed.

“Zuko, you’re twenty three and you’re throwing a tantrum,” she said, amused. He grunted and grabbed one of the throw pillows and hit his back with it.

“Well, you’re twenty one and you’re here trying to start a pillow fight with me.” Katara scoffed and Zuko let out a chuckle. He flipped over onto his back and grabbed her hand. He twined their fingers together and stared at the ceiling.

“My brother’s not a bad guy, you know? He’s just… protective.” Objectively, Katara knew that her brother seemed to be an internet freak with nothing more to do than stalk people with his sleuthing skills. It took her years to understand that his “spying” was nothing more than wanting to keep his sister from meeting the same fate their mother did. She grew to appreciate it the older she got.

However, she would admit that it got exhausting having to answer his interrogations each time someone asked her on a date. Which is why she kept Zuko a secret for all these months. Now their worlds were colliding and it felt like Katara’s grip on reality was slipping through her fingers.

She was over at a guy’s apartment sneaking around while his childhood best friend - who knew nothing about their relationship - was sleeping on his couch. It made Katara nervous that Zuko was so willing to have her over and risk the secret that they had worked so hard to keep.

But it also made her feel as if she was more than just a sideline fuck and someone that actually mattered to Zuko. 

She was filled with fear and affection and it all jumbled up inside her like a tsunami building up in the waters. She felt more for Zuko than she had for anyone else she had been in a relationship with and it was uncharted waters that Katara wasn’t ready for.

Or so she thought. 

There was a comfort in Zuko, a sense of security that she felt with no one else but him. As if the world could end and if she could be next to anyone when the center of the Earth made its way to the surface, it would be him. She could only hope that he felt the same way. 

“My sister’s also not a complete psycho, she was just… raised to be a leader.” Zuko draped his free arm over his eyes and the minutes passed as the pair sat in silence.

“You know, with all of this,” Katara said softly, her tone somber. “People are going to find out about us soon.”

“Are you worried?” Zuko’s eyes were bright gold as they searched for an answer in Katara’s face. His hand that held hers tightened its grip and she felt her lips form a small smile.

“I don’t want this to end,” she replied.

“Who said anything about it ending?” Zuko asked, sitting up and staring at her questioningly.

“I know we started this and agreed that we would keep it a secret…” Zuko paused. “And I’m still all for that if that’s what you want. But I also understand that our circumstances are changing and we are now under the direct vision of your brother and my sister.

So whatever happens… whether we get found out or not, I’ll still be right here next to you.”

Katara bit her lip and leaned over to kiss Zuko, her heart and her brain battling with each other for the upper hand. 

* * *

“Hey, that’s Madam Noriko!” Said a bald waiter that snapped Sokka out of his concentration. He was reading through more of Zhao’s files, trying to find more evidence of his affiliation with Azula’s mother.

“Excuse me?” Azula said, her eyes glaring at the young man. “This isn’t any of your business, so if you could please just-,”

“But I see her once a month when I fly to Hira’a with my Uncle Gyatso!” He pointed at the older photo and  _ wow’d. _

“She looks so young here!” Azula’s glare never let up as she stood, a foot shorter than the bald waiter but was intimidating enough to make the man look small. He was lanky and had a sky blue bandana tied around his head. He was oblivious to Azula’s anger, still staring at the photos on Sokka’s screen.

“First of all, who are you and how do you know her?” She demanded and the guy shrugged.

“My name is Aang, and I’ll be your server for today!” Aang grinned. “And I know her because she’s the only pharmacist that my Uncle trusts! He only goes to her once a month to get his medications because he thinks everyone else is out to get him.”

Azula and Sokka stared at each other in disbelief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please comment! i’d love to hear your thoughts :’) 
> 
> i’m thinking maybe a 30 chapter story? i’m staying positive but we all know i’m unreliable LMAO 
> 
> http://all-thewaydown.tumblr.com  
> http://twitter.com/aallthewaydown


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